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AD344 Secure PDF
AD344 Secure PDF
The purpose of this Advisory Desk note is to highlight to designers the importance of
considering potential levelling techniques of composite floor slabs in relation to achieving the
specified tolerances and a safe design. Levelling methods are covered and the issues of pre-
cambering, propping of decking, ponding, flatness and design approaches are discussed
Designers often assume constant nominal slab thickness for sizing beams and often include
some allowance for ponding when designing decking in a composite floor. However, moves
from traditional levelling methods to laser-based methods in recent years have meant that it
is now important to consider the implications for structural design because the ponding
effects can be much greater.
Additional concrete thickness will arise in both techniques as a result of deflection of the
decking and ponding of the concrete between the beams. This will not affect the flatness of
the surface but does need to be considered in the design of the decking.
Precambering
In situations where the beam deflection would be excessive, say, greater than 25 mm, beams
can be pre-cambered, but care is needed when specifying the precamber. Unless the
traditional levelling ‘constant thickness’ technique is used, there is a risk that there will be
insufficient cover to the mid-span of the beams. Traditionally, engineers have specified a pre-
camber of only 2/3 to 3/4 of the calculated simply supported deflection of the beam, or up to
half the concrete cover to the decking (whichever less). Doing so will greatly reduce the risk
of a thin slab when the other levelling techniques are used.
In the Eurocodes, the construction loads during concreting are given in BS EN 1991-1-6, and
BS EN 1994-1-1 gives rules for the extra weight due to ponding for ‘profiled steel sheeting
used as shuttering’, Clause 9.3.2 states that, if the deflection of the bare steel decking is
greater than 1/10 of the slab depth, ponding should be included in the calculation of the self-
weight. Further, it states that ponding should be calculated under loads comprising the
self-weight of the decking plus that of the wet concrete (including the reinforcement),
calculated at the serviceability limit state. Ponding may be allowed for by considering an
overall increase in thickness of concrete of 0.7 times the maximum deflection. No mention is
made in BS EN 1994-1-1 of allowing for ponding in the design of beams, but it is
recommended that if ponding has to be included in the design of the decking it should be
included in the design of the beams as well. It should also be noted that the wet weight of
the concrete, including the ponding, is treated as a ‘variable action’ in the Eurocodes.
For the rare occasions where levelling compounds and screeds cannot be used, and tight
level and flatness tolerances are required, the supporting beams will need to be designed to
limit deflections to values which correlate with the required top surface tolerances. This
could have significant implications for the cost of the beams.
The following general tolerances for levels are given in references 1, 2 and 3, relative to the
level of the datum (normally structural floor level):
The slab thickness tolerance at a column position will be about ±20 mm using the above
values. Further information on level and flatness tolerances is available in references 1 and 2.
The designer should not rely on the design of beams using software without considering
deflections at the construction stage. The potential thickness of concrete after casting should
be considered. It is important that the ponding levels over the decking, together with the
ponding due to the deflection of the beams, are considered at the design stage. The
combined deflection of the decking and beams should also be considered in relation to the
installation of services within the floor zone. Where laser levelling is specified, it is prudent to
make the contractor aware that the concrete volume should not be estimated on just the
nominal thickness of the slab.
References
1. RACKHAM, J.W, COUCHMAN, G.H and HICKS, S.J
Composite Slabs and Beams Using Steel Decking: Best Practice for Design and Construction
(2nd edition) (P300), SCI and MCRMA, 2009
2. Good Concrete Guide 5 — Composite Concrete Slabs on Steel Decking Construction, The
Concrete Society and The Association of Concrete Industrial Flooring Contractors
3. National Structural Steelwork Specification for Building Construction (NSSS), 5th edition,
BCSA Publication 203/07 SCI P-203, 2007
The SCI gratefully acknowledges comments received during the drafting of this note from
members of the MCRMA and The Concrete Society.
Contact: J W Rackham
Tel: 01344 636525
Email: advisory@steel-sci.com